08 July 2007

We are delighted to announce a competition here at TWL for the brightest talent in the UK PR industry…The PR Brain of Britain…brought to you in association with Edelman Public Relations.

Did you get that? The competition is being sponsored by Edelman Public Relations. That’s right; Edelman is paying us money to have its name attached to the competition (and one or two other associated benefits, as will become obvious). Hopefully we've made that completely clear (transparent, even).

Competition entry requirements could not be simpler. We’re after essays of up to 600 words on the future of the UK PR industry and, specifically, the role that PR will play in the world of social networks, user-generated content and all things online.

Take as wide or as narrow a view as you’d like; sector-specific or general; conservative or entirely outlandish; serious or, umm, not so. There are two categories: one for those of you aged 27 or under and one for everyone else. The only other rule is that you must be working in PR (agency, in-house or freelance) or a student of PR. That’s it.

Well, almost. The deadline for your entries is August 31st 2007. The judging panel will consist of a number of Edelman’s own directors, TWL and other assorted PR gurus. Who knows, Richard himself might even take a look...

There will be prizes for the 10 best entries based on some sort of overly-complex sliding scale. We’re not at liberty just yet to give full prize details, but start thinking foreign travel, plush hotel, all the food and drink you can consume…right down to a piece of coal and a stick for 10th place (no, no, really…even the 10th best one will get something decent).

The small print: competition entrants must be happy that their name and email address will be passed on to Edelman (who might well, at some stage, drop you a note) and we will also reserve the right to publish any startling insights from the essays here on TWL.

Well, you'll have to do better than 11...but if you can show the quality of your thinking in less than 600, that might get you through the door.

But, as you point out, it doesn't take the PR Brain of Britain to work out that Edelman's interest here is in potentially identifying some decent PR talent. Ours is a few readies and some potentially useful content.

It might work, it might not. It's something of an experiment. But we'll try anything once.

TWL, what guarantee do we have that our insights will not form the basis of Edelman's next pitch. "We think the future of PR is........... you should pay us £20k a month because we are PR thought leaders!"

If you wanted the money, why didn't you just sell them some recruitment ad space?

Honestly, this is an unpleasant surprise. And - I may be wrong - but I can't see too many entering in the over 27 category.

Anyone AM or above who wants a job with Edelman will just apply direct. Anyone who doesn't and is secure in their jobs, won't be giving Edelman the free publicity or as another comment said, free material for pitches.

Anon: "I'm sorry the rent's having an undue influence on the editorial integrity."

Do you work in PR? Or in the media industry generally? Do you think that the advertisements that your favourite magazines carry have an undue influence on their editorial integrity? Or the sponsored supplements? Or the competitions?

Of course they don't. Not in the credible publications at least.

In any case, how do you know we had any editorial integrity in the first place? But if you'd like to provide some evidence of where the little we might have had has been unduly influenced, then I'd love to read it.

TWL, just look at the feedback you're getting here. Whatever you think about your continuing independent standpoint, the *perception* of you and your most esteemed blog's position in the PR world has been changed by this initiative. And that's what PR's all about, innit? Perception, not necessarily facts? (Although when the two coincide, it's sort of pleasing).

If it's changed in a way that you want it to, then all is well. But let's not pretend this makes no difference.

Perhaps it's changed your perception...and maybe one or two other people's. I'm not losing any sleep over it. There's more to come, too - so you might want to stop reading now.

The thing is, I don't write this for the good of my health....or my ego. So if it crashes around my ears because a few people get up themselves about a perceived lessening of editorial integrity, then so be it (they shouldn't though, because the style of content won't change). At least I'll earn a few quid doing it, eh?